Details

The audit system _MUST_ be configured to record enforcement actions of failed attempts to modify file attributes (fm).

Enforcement actions are the methods or mechanisms used to prevent unauthorized changes to configuration settings. One common and effective enforcement action method is using access restrictions (i.e., denying modifications to a file by applying file permissions).

This configuration ensures that audit lists include events in which enforcement actions prevent attempts to modify a file.

Without auditing the enforcement of access restrictions, it is difficult to identify attempted attacks, as there is no audit trail available for forensic investigation.

Solution

Run the following bash code

/usr/bin/grep -qE "^flags.*-fm" /etc/security/audit_control || /usr/bin/sed -i.bak '/^flags/ s/$/,-fm/' /etc/security/audit_control;/usr/sbin/audit -s
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Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://github.com/usnistgov/macos_security

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Access Control, Audit and Accountability, Configuration Management, Maintenance.This control applies to the following type of system Unix.

References

• 800-53|AC-2(12)
• 800-53|AU-2
• 800-53|AU-9
• 800-53|AU-12
• 800-53|AU-12c.
• 800-53|CM-5(1)
• 800-53|MA-4(1)
• CCE|CCE-85264-0, CCI|CCI-000172
• CCI|CCI-001814
• STIG-ID|APPL-11-001020

Source

• Tenable.com/audits